The 12-team tournament begins Thursday morning on two fields including Joe Gabe Field, which is still undergoing renovations in preparation for the tournament.

Tournament director Bill Heath said the field should be ready to go for Thursday's action.

"We're going to try to play on it," said Heath, who noted the fence was being installed Monday afternoon.

Pool play is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, beginning at 10 a.m. each day. Following pool play, all 12 teams will be seeded and placed in a single-elimination tournament that will begin on Saturday.

With all of the state tournaments now complete, the field is set for the regional tournament.

Henderson, which receives an automatic bid to the tournament as the host team, will play the final game at Bill Heath Field on Thursday and Friday, taking on Southern Indiana champion Harrison County Thursday at 8 p.m. and Southern Illinois champion Mattoon on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

The tournament champion, which will be crowned Sunday, will advance to the Babe Ruth World Series Aug. 18-25 in Van Buren, Ark.

Henderson's 12-year-old Cal Ripken team, which won the Western Kentucky state tournament last week, will also begin play Thursday in the Ohio Valley Regional in Kokomo, Ind.

They are playing for a berth in the Cal Ripken World Series in Winchester, Mass.

Babe Ruth 15-year-old

Ohio Valley Regional

Thursday's Schedule

Bill Heath Field

10 a.m.: Blue Lick, Louisville Ky. vs. Plainfield, Ind.

12:30 p.m.: Saginaw Valley, Mich., vs. SE Lexington, Ky.

3 p.m.: Eau Claire, Wis., vs. Lewis Cass, Walton, Ind.

5:30 p.m.: Blue Lick vs. SE Lexington

8 p.m.: Henderson vs. Harrison Co., Ind.

Joe Gabe Field

10 a.m.: Mattoon, Ill. vs. Harrison Co., Ind.

12:30 p.m.: Harrison Co., W. Va., vs. Westmont, Ill.

3 p.m.: Mattoon, Ill., vs. Newark, Ohio

5:30 p.m.: Plainfield, Ind., vs. Saginaw Valley, Mich.

Friday's Schedule

Bill Heath Field

10 a.m.: Harrison Co., W. Va. vs. Eau Claire, Wis.

12:30 p.m.: SE Lexington vs. Plainfield, Ind.

3 p.m.: Harrison Co.,W. Va. vs. Walton, Ind.

5:30 p.m.: Newark, Ohio vs. Harrison Co., Ind.

7:30 p.m.: Henderson vs. Mattoon, Ill.

Joe Gabe Field

11 a.m.: Walton, Ind. vs. Westmont, Ill.

1:30 p.m.: Henderson vs. Newark, Ohio

4 p.m.: Eau Claire, Wis., vs. Westmont, Ill.

6:30 p.m.: Blue Lick vs. Saginaw Valley, Mich.

At the completion of pool play, all 12 teams will be seeded 1-12 and advance to a 12-team, single-elimination tournament that begins Saturday morning with the top four seeds receiving a first-round bye.